I have the gold rings ,the 1st. pair fog up .I sent them back they repaired them and remined me they are not waterproof ,so I have to keep them in a ziplox bag when it's raining.Then I droped them and I had 2 monoculars,sent them in and they sent me a bill for around $400 for the new pair I was alittle up in the air about it then decided to pay , I needed them. The new pair does not line up both eyes ,You have to close one eye to stop from seeing double. Would you be happy with that product.


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Ihad a6 year old Zeiss 8X30 Diafund and on a trip to rainy Newfoundland they fogged up ( seal leaked ). When I got back I contacted them and they sent me a brand new pair in the same model for nothing no questions asked.

If anyone can tell the difference between a pair of Swarovski's, Leica's, and Zeiss' by simply looking through them, they have better eyes than me. They are all tremendous glass. I've never forked out the cash for a pair but If i had the jack I would most likely buy Swarovski's simply beacause they are the most widely acclaimed. Though if My wife was to buy me a set of either the other two i certainly wouldn't be disappointed... HINT, HINT

I too have been a Leupold fan for a lot of years. Until recently that is. I have been very disappointed in there quality lately. I wouldn't buy a set of Leupold Binos either. I'd get a set of Nikons first.

Thanks guys I'll pass the advice on to him.


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I once considered myself a strictly Leupold man, that was until I used a pair of Swaro 10x42 EL's. I really wanted to stick with Leupy but even there best Golden ring HD's do not compare. BTW, I bought a pair and we have been eating canned pinto's for a month now to pay for them but I wouldn't change a thing. Soon there with be fresh Venni to go with those pinto's. LOL

For what its worth, I believe in good optics, you can't kill what you can't find.... I have owned all three cause like most of the people here they all seem very close in what I look for in a bino. I will have to say the Leicas ultravids won out. 10x42s

I feel that your optics are very important. I have worked my way up through the ranks in the bino world and just purchased a pair or Swarovski 10x42 EL and WOW!! i cant even look through my others...looks like you are looking through a screen window. I can sit for hours and my eyes dont bother me from strain! tangolzulu hit it right on...looking through them in the store they all look good but the first night i had mine out i was sold with the quality in the low light condidtion...I still have my others for beating around in the truck etc. but will never carry them in the woods...

I was recently at a large sporting goods store. They had a Resolution chart on the wall about 50 yards from the counter. Its a chart with progressively smaller numbers on it. well at 50 yards you couldn't tell much difference between the leupold gold ring, swarovski, & leicas I was looking at but it was inside. So i tell the sellsperson that i want to test them outside. he says there is no way! So i tell him that I won't buy them. Long and short the manager agreed to let the sellsman take the chart outside across the parking lot and we would stand at the door and compare. I would estimate that the chart was 200 yards away. The swaro's where considerably better than the leupolds. The leicas where a little better than the swaros to my eyes but the manager thought the swaros where better. We both agreed that the difference was minimal. The worse part of the whole thing was when I told the manager that I couldn't make up my mind and didn't buy anything. I thought that he was going to have a fit, he thought that I was wasting his time. i guess i kind of did but I didn't appreciate the attitude either way. I guess the point of my story is, Don't ask the manager to do you special favors unless you have $1500 to spend!

P.S. I wish I would have tested spotters as well before I torqued off the manager.[8D]

GREAT way to go about it!

Here, I disagree with you. It shouldn't be any skin off their nose to accommodate their customers even for a $50 pair of throwaway binocs. They could build an enormous amount o' customer goodwill with such a small gesture as this, that that the word o' mouth would be priceless. I don't understand how so many places can be so short-sighted about these things.

As for my experience on bino's, I just got back from a 10 day hunt in BC, & 4 guides (including the 2 owner/outfitters) thought my Zeiss 8x42 FL's were better than the Swaro's & Leica's that they were carrying. I was quite pleased with them, anyway... I finally got my bull!

FC

Any pics???